According to Ambrosius {Oratio de Obku Theodor, p. 498), the piece which bore the title stood on the top of the cross of our Lord (John xlx, 19-22, Im rov arav- pov ; comp. Matt xxvii, 87 ; Mark xv, 26 ; Luke xviii, 18) : the form then would be somewhat thus, Q* This fact would lead to the expectation of more accurate information from those who are said to have found the cross. But the conduct of Helena in dividing the cross, setting aside one part for Jerusalem, another for Constantinople, and another as a phylacterion for her son, and the subdivisions thereof which subse- quently took place, rendered it impossible to ascertain in any satisfactory manner not only whether the al- leged was the real cross, but also of what wood and in what shape it had been made. This only, then, as to the shape of the Saviour's cross, can be determined, that the prevalent form was that of the crux oapUata^ and that this form is generally found on coins and in the so-called monogram (Munter*s SUmbilder, 1. iv). The wooden title, however, is said to be still preserved in Rome— not entire, indeed, for only fhigmenti re- main of the Hebrew letters, so that they are iUegible. The Greek and Latin, except the letter 2, are both written after the Eastern manner, ftam right to left. This is said to have happened ekher because they were written by a Jew, following* national custom, or iiom a desire on the part of the writer, if a Roman, to accommodate himself to what was usual among the Jews. Nicetns {Tihdut $anct. Cmds) holds that it is not all the work of one hand, since the Roman letters are firmly and distinctly cut, but the Greek letters very badly. He thinks that a Jew cut the Hebrew (or Aramnan) and Greek, and a Roman the Latin. All that remains of the Greek is No^optvovc /3- [i. e. 'Sa!^apTiv6^ jSatriXcvc], of the Latin Nazaremte Jto- [Rex], L e. " Naiarone, King." ThU tablet is said to
rnvto^A'sAM
Reputed I^Met of Christ's Croaa.
have been sent by Constantino to Rome, and thsR In posited in a leaden chest, above the vaiilt«d done 4 the church of Sta. Croce, in a little window, and 1 bricked into the wall, its position bein^ raoonled I7 1 Mosaic inscription without. Time rendered tbe ni scription almost illegible ; and tbe window, owiai; the carelessness of workmen engaged In repoiri^ tkt church, was accidentally broken open, when tbe tA. was discovered. A bull was issubd by pope Alexia* der III commemorating the discovery and aatk^ eating the title. The whole story is erideotly «f i piece with the foregoing. Monographs on the sabiKt and relic in question have been written in Latis H Albert! (Ups. 1690 ; Jen. 1748), Altmann (Bern. ITS). Felter (Lips. 1725), Freiesleben (Ups. 1664X Haakf (Jen. 1672), Hiller (Tubing. 169^, l^cqoeti (Aatv. 1770), Reichmann (Viteb. 1666), Reyper (Kiloii. MW; also fai Menthenii Dm, ii, 241 sq.X Weaelias (L. & 1712). See Titlb.
Much time and trouble have been wasted in dispet> ing as to whether three or four naOs were need is fastening the Lord to his cross. (See above.) Kee- nus afllrms that three only were need, in which he it followed by Gregory Naziansen. The more geaoi! belief gives four nails, an opinion which is suppurtad at much length and by curious arguments by Caitiii {De Ciavia DotmmcU). Others have carried the ana- ber of nails as high as fourteen. Of the ibor originil nails, the empress Helena is reported (Theodoret, 17iit EccL i, 17) to have thrown one into the Adriatic wfaa furiously raging, thereby producing an instant eslm. The second is said to have been pot fay ConstaatiBe into either his helmet or crown, or (as Zomaras sars) on the head of the statue which he intended to belbe palladium of Constantinople, and which the people used to surround with lighted torobes (Hosheim,.£<Ri Hiit, ii, 1, 3y and notes). This naO, however, was •£• terwards to be found in a mutilated state m the chvrck of Sta. Crooe. In the Dnomo of Milan is a third aaO, which Eutroplus affirms was driven through one of Jesus' s hands, and idiich Constantino osed as a bit, intending thereby to verify tbe prophecy of Zedianik (xiv, 20) : " In that day shall be upon the bells (^x- gin, hridUt) of the horses, Bolmes$ vsOo tkt Lord." Treves possesses the fourth nail, which is alleged t» have been driven through the suflforer's right foot (Lipsius, De Cntee^ ii, 9). Those who maintain the number of nails to have been more than four have bad no difficulty in finding as many nails as their hypoth- esis in each case needed, and as many aacred places for their safe keeping. There are monographs on thii subject, in Latin, by Fontanus (Amst. 1G18), Frisch- muth (Jen. 1663), Semler (Dresd. 1741), Winer (lips. 1846), Curtius (Monad, 1622; Antw.1670; also in the Sytnb, liU. Brum, iii, 809) ; in German, by fikhr (hi Hst- denreich's Zeitschr, ii, 809), Panlus {MemordbiL iv, 86- 64). See Nail.
Another dispute has been agitated relative to the existence of a hypopodbiM or tablet whereon the feet were supported. Gregory of Tours, who had seen tbe allege4 true cross, affirms that it had such a footstool; but his dictum has been called in question. It ii, however, doubted whether the hands alone, withoat • prop beneath, could sustain the weight of the bo^jr,